Three Hard Lessons (Blindfold Club 2)

Dominic?

Evie’s mouth popped open. Her gaze flitted between Logan and me as she figured part of it out, then settled on Logan. “Why did you tell Dominic about the club?”

“Because he’s lonely as hell over there, and when we had to cancel, I knew he wouldn’t go out by himself.” He turned his attention back to me. “What happened?”

“A lot. Look, I need to talk to him. I need to know he’s all right.”

Suspicion clouded Logan’s face. “Why wouldn’t he be all right?”

I had so much guilt already, I couldn’t bear to see their faces when I told them about Marquis. “It was a really weird night, and I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.”

“You’re lying,” Logan said.

Well, well, well. Usually I was the human bullshit detector. I was unaware Logan was, too.

“He might have gotten hurt when he left.”

“What?” Logan’s tone was angry. “How?”

“I told you, I don’t know. I was upstairs getting fired when it happened. I know he didn’t leave on good terms.”

Logan gave me a dark, demanding look. “Meaning?”

“I was told he got roughed up. Logan, please, can you give me his number, or call him yourself?”

“Well, he didn’t say anything about it when I talked to him a minute ago.” Logan covered his cough and braced a hand on the doorframe to steady himself.

“You talked to him? What did he say?” That some whore fucked him and ran, and he got beat on by her pimp’s lap dog?

“That he needed my help with something. I take it you two . . .” he searched for the polite way to say it, even though it was unnecessary.

“Fucked? Yeah. He didn’t even negotiate,” I sank down on the couch. What would Dom need Logan’s help with? Dominic, not Dom, I reminded myself.

The couch shifted when Evie sat down beside me. “How did you get fired?”

How was I going to explain any of it? I went with the easiest reason. “I tried to get him out of the deal, and when Joseph refused, I tried to give the money back.” I turned my gaze to Evie’s shocked face. Get ready, sister, here comes a bigger surprise. “I kissed him.”

“Whoa, what?” She knew all about my rule. I didn’t like intimacy. No kissing, snuggling, pet names . . . it wasn’t me. Too bad I felt nothing like myself last night. Or today.

I tucked my face in my hands. I was a wreck.

There was a quick knock on the door, but it creaked open without an invitation, probably because it was his place. I heard a sharp gasp from Evie beside me.

“Your face,” she said.

“It’s okay, Evie, you should see the other guy,” the rough voice replied, deadpan.

Instinct took over. People had to earn the right to call her Evie. With everything going on, this was what I chose to latch on to? I fucking hated it when some stranger used her nickname like they knew her. My hands fell from my annoyed, exhausted face and I shot to my feet. “Her name is Evelyn.”

Dominic dropped the box of donuts he was holding, and the impact with the floor created a mushroom cloud of powdered sugar. He was still in the same suit, looking like he hadn’t slept at all. There was a cut on his bottom lip were Marquis had split it, his left eye puffy.

“Paige.” It came out on a shocked breath. He stood motionless, even as the cloud billowed and dispersed, his wide eyes trapping mine. “How?”

“My name’s not Paige,” my voice was soft, “it’s Payton.”

That got Dominic to move. His head swung to Logan. “Threesome Payton?”

“Yes,” I snapped, annoyed that Logan had opened his big mouth again. What was he, a chick? Did he and Dominic stay up late at night talking about celebrity crushes on the phone? “I’m threesome Payton, but most people don’t call me that.”